Naftogaz will demand compensation from Gazprom for the termination of gas transit

Head of Gazprom Miller at a meeting with Medvedev stated the need to resolve judicial disputes. The next day a Naftogaz representative announced claims of more than $11 billion. Ukraine’s Naftogaz intends to demand compensation from Gazprom for alleged losses from the interruption of gas transit from Russia to Europe. “On November 1, we will send claims of more than $ 11 billion to Gazprom,” wrote Naftogaz commercial director Yuriy Vitrenko on his Facebook page on Friday, October 18. On the eve, head of Gazprom Alexey Miller at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev highlighted the need to resolve judicial disputes before concluding a new contract with Kyiv. The current gas transit agreement expires at the end of 2019. “We propose a zero option that would completely terminate all legal claims,” Miller said. He added that gas supplies from Russia would be “significantly cheaper than reverse supplies from Western Europe.” The price for Ukrainian end consumers with direct deliveries may be 20 percent lower than with reverse deliveries, the Gazprom head stressed. Naftogaz says Gazprom abuses dominant position Vitrenko confirmed the possibility of decrease in the price. However, for this, it is not necessary to conclude a contract between Naftogaz and Gazprom, he noted. “It is imperative that Gazprom, in accordance with European rules, does not abuse its dominant position in the European market,” a representative of Naftogaz said. According to him, the Russian concern should not “refuse to European companies to transfer gas transmission points” to the Ukrainian-Russian border, as well as “actually block gas exports from Central Asia to Ukraine and the European Union”. DW